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Suicide bomb kills 23 outside US headquarters in Baghdad

Suicide bomb kills 23 outside US headquarters in Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Jan 18 (AFP) – A massive suicide truck bomb killed 23 people and wounded 95 in the deadliest attack yet on US headquarters in Iraq yesterday as people were waiting to enter the symbol of Washington’s power in the capital, officials said.

The huge blast caused widespread devastation, turning a busy central Baghdad street into a battlefield inferno, as the wounded lay outside the main entrance to the compound, known as Assassin’s Gate, flames devoured cars and black smoke spewed into the air. At least two Americans working for the US Defence Department were among the dead, a US military spokesman said.The combined tolls from hospitals put the number of dead at 23 and the wounded at 95.”Sixteen Iraqis and two US Defence Department employees were killed,” the spokesman said, stressing that his toll did not count those taken to local hospitals.The US spokesman identified the wounded being treated in US hospitals as 22 Iraqi civilians, four US civilian contractors and two US soldiers.Another three dead and 30 wounded were reported from Baghdad’s Karrama hospital, two dead at Yarmuk hospital, and a total of 37 wounded at Yarmuk, al-Kindi and the Neurological Surgical hospitals.A coalition spokesman confirmed the attack was a “homicide bomb,” which Iraqi police chief General Ahmed Ibrahim quickly denounced as an “act of terrorism carried out by foreign groups”.”This is against Islam,” he added.”If the terrorists think that this is the way to return the Baath party to power, they are deluded,” Ibrahim said, referring to the party of deposed president Saddam Hussein.It was the bloodiest attack in the Iraqi capital since insurgents launched a string of five suicide car bomb attacks on October 27, killing at least 40 people.The US spokesman said the vehicle packed with explosives, which witnesses described as a pick-up truck, blew up 100 metres from the checkpoint outside the fortress-like headquarters, a former palace of Saddam in a heavily-guarded compound known as the Green Zone.”It was a car lining up to enter the palace that exploded,” a police officer said at the scene.”Soldiers panicked.One was thrown to the ground.I saw an Iraqi coalition employee hit the ground.He was wounded.It was so strong.The blast was so strong.I never heard anything like that before,” said witness Ahmed Hassan.Bradley armoured vehicles and tanks sealed off the street.Soldiers and civilians lifted wounded Iraqis from the ground as smoke formed a thick cloud.The heavily-fortified bastion has been targeted by numerous rocket and mortar attacks since Saddam fell from power in April, but they have never caused any casualties inside the citadel.Yesterday’s devastating blast was the worst since the capture of Saddam near his hometown of Tikrit on December 13.On New Year’s Eve a bombing at a popular restaurant killed eight people.The attack landed another blow to the US-led coalition which is facing a political crisis as thousands of Iraqis back a leading Shiite cleric to demand general elections in place of an existing power transfer deal.- Nampa-AFPAt least two Americans working for the US Defence Department were among the dead, a US military spokesman said. The combined tolls from hospitals put the number of dead at 23 and the wounded at 95. “Sixteen Iraqis and two US Defence Department employees were killed,” the spokesman said, stressing that his toll did not count those taken to local hospitals. The US spokesman identified the wounded being treated in US hospitals as 22 Iraqi civilians, four US civilian contractors and two US soldiers. Another three dead and 30 wounded were reported from Baghdad’s Karrama hospital, two dead at Yarmuk hospital, and a total of 37 wounded at Yarmuk, al-Kindi and the Neurological Surgical hospitals. A coalition spokesman confirmed the attack was a “homicide bomb,” which Iraqi police chief General Ahmed Ibrahim quickly denounced as an “act of terrorism carried out by foreign groups”. “This is against Islam,” he added. “If the terrorists think that this is the way to return the Baath party to power, they are deluded,” Ibrahim said, referring to the party of deposed president Saddam Hussein. It was the bloodiest attack in the Iraqi capital since insurgents launched a string of five suicide car bomb attacks on October 27, killing at least 40 people. The US spokesman said the vehicle packed with explosives, which witnesses described as a pick-up truck, blew up 100 metres from the checkpoint outside the fortress-like headquarters, a former palace of Saddam in a heavily-guarded compound known as the Green Zone. “It was a car lining up to enter the palace that exploded,” a police officer said at the scene. “Soldiers panicked. One was thrown to the ground. I saw an Iraqi coalition employee hit the ground. He was wounded. It was so strong. The blast was so strong. I never heard anything like that before,” said witness Ahmed Hassan. Bradley armoured vehicles and tanks sealed off the street. Soldiers and civilians lifted wounded Iraqis from the ground as smoke formed a thick cloud. The heavily-fortified bastion has been targeted by numerous rocket and mortar attacks since Saddam fell from power in April, but they have never caused any casualties inside the citadel. Yesterday’s devastating blast was the worst since the capture of Saddam near his hometown of Tikrit on December 13. On New Year’s Eve a bombing at a popular restaurant killed eight people. The attack landed another blow to the US-led coalition which is facing a political crisis as thousands of Iraqis back a leading Shiite cleric to demand general elections in place of an existing power transfer deal. – Nampa-AFP

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